As usual I enjoyed the annual parade with one exception. The bands playing always are a joy to see EXCEPT our own Tomahawk band. They play well but no one is in step. I watched the other bands and they marched proudly in step. Then comes Tomahawk where no one is in step. No matter how well they play they should look the part. Hope our band did not travel to other cities. I dont want to complain in the opinion section nor do I want to complain to the school but just getting this off my chest. They were bad last year and I was hoping they would improve but it was a total disaster if you ask me. When you march in step with your head held high you look the part. But when no one is step it takes away from the entire group. Sorry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is something that hasn't changed in years ! ! Until they get a band director that knows what he is doing and really cares it won't change. The kids are only going to do what they are taught and if the band director thinks this is acceptable nothing will change. As for playing well, most of the time it is hard to tell as they are just strolling along carrying the instruments, with nothing but the drum beating.

Sorry to hear that the THS band is still a source of embarrassment in the 4th of July parade. I certainly hope that visitors to Tomahawk don't look on the student musicians unfavorably. I'm sure things are much the same as when my son was in band 12 plus years ago. Many of the kids marching are incoming freshman, very few seniors, no practice required or at least encouraged. Such a dirty shame! As a former and hopefully again soon taxpayer I would certainly like to see some changes in the band program. Let's chop some dead wood!

The THS Band is a huge disappointment to those of us who were members of the band in the 60's or 70's. We were in full (wool) uniforms with those tall fiberglass hats, marched in step with our knees high, and played like there was no tomorrow. Just yesterday I was remembering July 4, 1977 - the year we had those huge storms. Those storms were fueled by intense heat, and yes, we wore those wool uniforms and marched our butts off!

I sadly agree with the posts about our THS band and it's performance on the 4th of July! As a former band member I took much pride in marching in the band, and I mean MARCHING IN STEP. And I also wore the wool uniforms with the big tall hats with/ white plume!! We do need someone (like the Merrill City Band director???) to teach our kids how it's done! Has anyone seen the Rib Lake High School Band march??? That is impressive!

Old Scout, while you are perfectly entitled to your opinion, I feel an obligation to say here that I think it's in fairly poor taste to attack the band director personally, using words like "clueless", stating that he "doesn't know what he's doing", and implying that he simply doesn't care.I can say that while an aptitude for instrumental technique instruction may be a stronger natural suit for him than marching instruction, the last thing that I could ever say about said individual is that he does not care.

Metaphorically speaking, I think of it in the way that a head coach of a sports team often has a specialty. Offensive, defensive, what have you. Related to this comparison though, the key difference is that a band director in a small school does not have the luxury of employing specialists to coordinate the areas in which he or she does not have the more prolific background. While it may be subjective to each individual according to personal taste, I think it's worth noting again that the Tomahawk High School band was the best sounding band of the bunch on that day (as has also been the case more often than not in the years that I can speak for personally).

In my own personal opinion, I feel that the personal and professional dedication that he has put into developing and fostering the musical understanding, the musical ability, and the musical appreciation of many of Tomahawk's youth (myself included) throughout the years is much more important in the big picture than the marching deficiencies of some students in the middle of their summer break. More than anything, it's certainly not necessary to deride his entire level of professional competence in general because of the latter.

The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese....

abnerman, you too have a right to your opinion, but after seeing many Band directors over the past fifty plus years who not only taught their students how to play their instruments but also had a good marching band that Tomahawk could be proud of, I still question his competency and ability to do his job in the manner that is expected of him. While teaching marching may not be one of his strengths, as a teacher he should work on improving his skills just as he would expect his students to improve theirs. In my job things were constantly changing and I had to learn to keep up with the changing technology. Why then does he not have to do the same and work on improving his skills. To me that shows an I don't care attitude that is not what you want to see in someone in his position.

Personal opinion, it is time for the school board to look at filling that position with some one who has better qualifications.

You are entirely correct Old Scout it is time to do something different with the band program. Abnerman is certainly entitled to his opinion, however as a former band parent I never saw any dedication to the program in any form. I could begin naming instances of neglect to the program but won't, that's not the point. As far as fostering appreciation for music, never saw that either. More like fostering an I don't care attitude by presenting an I don't care attitude. That was my observation by first hand experience.

I think it's worth noting again that the Tomahawk High School band was the best sounding band of the bunch on that day (as has also been the case more often than not in the years that I can speak for personally).

After listening to them on Memorial Day at the ceremony and on the 4th, I think that is stretching it a bit. Quite a bit. I have heard a lot better music from bands than what I heard on those two days.

Not saying that the kids aren't trying just that they don't have anyone to really teach them the right way.

Deb Richardson wrote:You are entirely correct Old Scout it is time to do something different with the band program. Abnerman is certainly entitled to his opinion, however as a former band parent I never saw any dedication to the program in any form. I could begin naming instances of neglect to the program but won't, that's not the point. As far as fostering appreciation for music, never saw that either. More like fostering an I don't care attitude by presenting an I don't care attitude. That was my observation by first hand experience.

The fact that you didn't personally see it, doesn't mean that it wasn't there for those that have. All I can speak of with any amount of conviction is my own personal experience, which obviously vastly differs from yours. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with such a contrast. Our opinions are subjective, based upon our own perceptions, and we are all entitled to our own assessments. It is also our own prerogative if we wish to make rude, hurtful, or repugnant and speculative declarations about the character of people who we may or may not know personally, if we are so inclined. Much as it is with our own personal appreciation of the fine arts, our inherent ability to form our own opinions means it's normal that something that one person might think is in poor taste is perfectly acceptable to another.

The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese....

It is also our own prerogative if we wish to make rude, hurtful, or repugnant and speculative declarations about the character of people who we may or may not know personally, if we are so inclined.

abnerman, I don't see that any of the previous posts were rude, hurtful, repugnant or speculative. I'm glad you had a positive experience in the THS band program but I have to say you are most likely the minority not the majority. I know what my experience was as a parent dealing with this program, there was no speculation. Maybe you need to think about who is being rude, hurtful and repugnant. I guess the lack of students that go on to major in music says something about how the importance of music is or isn't instilled into THS students.

Deb Richardson wrote:abnerman, I don't see that any of the previous posts were rude, hurtful, repugnant or speculative.

get a band director that knows what he is doing and really cares

Let's chop some dead wood!

a band director who knew what he was doing !

band director who hasn't a clue and cares less than the kids.

question his competency and ability to do his job

shows an I don't care attitude

fostering an I don't care attitude by presenting an I don't care attitude

don't have anyone to really teach them the right way

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Deb Richardson wrote:Maybe you need to think about who is being rude, hurtful and repugnant.

If you are implying that I have been any of these things to you or anyone else in this discussion, it has certainly not been my intent. Your opinion is your opinion. I can't say that it's wrong or invalid in any way, and I wouldn't presume to think that I could change it (nor would I necessarily feel a need to). I was simply trying to point out that while your opinions on the matter are clearly very valid to you according to your own experience, not everyone feels the same way.Whether I am in the minority or the majority is not remotely my concern, so much as the fact that I believe that the adjectives that I mentioned accurately apply to the quotes above in my opinion, and that you would likely identify a bit more with my point if similar comments were directed at you or someone with whom your personal experience is contrary.

The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese....

A bit on the defensive abnerman? I totally understand. It's not easy seeing someone we have looked up to viewed as inadequate by others. That's human nature. Glad you had a good experience in the band program. As a parent it was a frustrating experience. I could give you a laundry list of issues many of us dealt with as parents but as I said in a previous post it's pointless. Enough said on the subject.

Deb Richardson wrote:A bit on the defensive abnerman? I totally understand. It's not easy seeing someone we have looked up to viewed as inadequate by others. That's human nature. Glad you had a good experience in the band program. As a parent it was a frustrating experience. I could give you a laundry list of issues many of us dealt with as parents but as I said in a previous post it's pointless. Enough said on the subject.

Defensive? You said you didn't see how anything in the previous posts were applicable to any of the words that I mentioned to describe them, and I listed the examples that made me say it in the first place. I don't have a personal stake in defending anyone. If I sound at all like I'm on the defensive as opposed to just sharing my opinion, it's certainly not intentional. It's simply because it's my feeling that what I considered a misrepresentation of someone's character was being portrayed as broad and general fact as an accessory to personal opinion (particularly in the case of saying that someone doesn't care about something that they have devoted their career to, when my own personal observation over the course of 6 years created quite a contrary impression).

I have no doubt that you believe what you are saying, and that your experience has dictated your opinion. I'm not saying you're wrong, and I'm not trying to change your mind. There is nothing wrong with us having and sharing our own opinions, which is simply what I was doing in pointing out that not everyone agrees with that particular personal character assessment.

We're all perfectly entitled to share our opinions, our praise, and our criticism regarding anyone or anything (within reason of course). But with that being said, I don't necessarily need to look up to someone in order to share my opinion with you that I believe it's in poor taste to berate them on the public message board in Tomahawk. Just my own opinion. And once again, I stand by my belief that if you stumbled upon such a thread and for any reason it was about you, your spouse, or someone close to you, you might feel that the adjectives I used earlier were a little more accurate.

The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese....

Deb Richardson wrote:A bit on the defensive abnerman? I totally understand. It's not easy seeing someone we have looked up to viewed as inadequate by others. That's human nature. Glad you had a good experience in the band program. As a parent it was a frustrating experience. I could give you a laundry list of issues many of us dealt with as parents but as I said in a previous post it's pointless. Enough said on the subject.

So, you could give actual reasons (from 12 years ago) why you're berating the band director, but instead will let the insults stand on their own merit (or lack there of). I can't imagine why anyone would take exception to the "comments". I know that if I were a member of the band and read these posts, I probably wouldn't be excited about showing up to the next band practice.

Since there are so many experts on proper instruction of bands, how many are willing to volunteer their assistance to the program? Maybe the director would appreciate some help improving the band. Maybe they're underfunded. Maybe they lost students to other programs.

Maybe it's better to complain about it and spread a poor attitude about the school.